Ryoma's Resolve: The Damsel in Distress
by rennomiya
Summary: Ryoma compares Sakuno to other female manga characters and found his resolve. *One-shot/RyoSaku*


**Ryoma's Resolve: The Damsel in Distress**

By: Ren Nomiya

_Behind a great man is an even greater woman._

He was annoyed—no, _enraged _was the right word. That's right, Echizen Ryoma is enraged. Furious. Fuming. Infuriated. Incensed. And every other word that meant the same. Why? There is only one reason why he is enraged at this moment: Echizen Nanjiroh, his perverted father. If only the world knows how embarrassing being Echizen Nanjiroh's son felt.

Well…

Let's put the fact that Echizen Nanjiroh was _the _legendary Samurai Nanjiroh aside.

Concentrate on his perverted attitude. That hentai Oyaji of his! He was the only person on earth capable of infuriating Ryoma to the point of wanting to tear his hair out (bad news for his fans club if that happened though).

"Nanjiroh…" Rinko, Ryoma's calm and sweet mother, called his annoying Oyaji with the sweetest tone she can muster but still ended up saying it in a creepy tone.

At least help has arrived.

"Y-Yes, Rinko, my love?" Nanjiroh stuttered as he abruptly tried to hide his lecherous magazine away from his wife's view.

Ryoma heaved a sigh of relief. His father removed that stupid magazine from his face at last. He will never _ever _follow his father's footsteps (except his tennis career).

"Are you showing those magazines to Ryoma's face again?" the cold and creepy tone never leaving his mother's voice.

"N-No! O-Of course not! W-Why, I would never, Rinko, my love!" Hentai Oyaji replied.

The room suddenly dropped ten degrees as soon as Rinko started walking gradually to Ryoma's father. "Is… that… so…?" Her voice getting colder and colder each word.

Next thing the tennis prince knew, his father laid unconsciously (with visible bruises) on the ground. Ryoma sweat dropped and panicked a bit when his mother turned to him. "Ryoma, go outside and play with your friends first. I'm going to burn some things here."

Ryoma knew what his mother meant. It means bye-bye Oyaji's perverted magazines. Bye-bye Oyaji's paradise. And…

"Bye-Bye…" Ryoma said as he showed a face of 'I-am-out-of-here-before-mom-transfers-her-rage-to-me-because-oyaji-fainted'.

So, Echizen Ryoma walked out of their house before the most dreaded thing to happen, happens to him. At least his mom was there to save the day.

Come to think of it…

Yusuke Urameshii was the strongest fighter in the demon world but Keiko could punch him to death without putting much effort to it.

Himura Kenshin was the legendary Battousai but Kamiya Kaoru could knock some brains out of him with a single swish of her bamboo sword… effortlessly yet again.

And lastly, Uzumaki Naruto is the greatest ninja that ever lived in Konoha to the point of being a hokage yet Haruno Sakura's punch (and yes, she'svery strong, which is also proves the word 'effortless') sends him flying to the hospital.

Reminiscing about his manga's stories, it made him feel like his life's like one. Especially pointing out the ones pertaining to the women's inferiority towards the main character, which are men. And as far as he knows, it's the former that are weaker and need protection. So… why does it seem like the women in his manga are the only ones capable of beating the crap of the main guy when the main guy can defeat the strongest people on earth? Just like the case with his mom and dad earlier. It's a question that needed to be answered indeed.

His train of thoughts was abruptly interrupted when Ryuzaki Sakuno bumped into him. At last the damsel in distress came.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes when she suddenly appeared right at the exact moment he was thinking of the-girl-always-win-against-the-protagonist-despite-the-fact-that-the-protagonist-can-conquer-the-world issue. So, does this mean that Ryuzaki Sakuno is also capable of controlling him like any other guy in the comic books that he read?

Wait.

Since when did he start reading manga? Oh, yeah. The Jungle Boy influenced him.

Wait (again).

Ryuzaki Sakuno, that old hag's granddaughter, is his damsel in distress?

Wait (again, again).

His life is not based on a manga/anime so why bother… or _is it?_

Shrugging those insignificant thoughts aside, he, Echizen Ryoma, grabbed his damsel in distress's fragile wrist. He needs answer NOW.

The girl's eyes widened in shock. That was expected. He calmly sighed for whatever is happening now is exactly what usually happens in his manga. Oh, how he wishes to kill Tooyama Kintarou for giving some of his manga to him. It's Oyaji's fault anyway. If only he agreed on playing tennis with him for the times he was bored, he wouldn't have bothered opening the shounen manga that Jungle Boy gave to him.

Back to main topic!

"Ryuzaki," Ryoma paused, as if that's the only thing he intends to say. Sakuno was about to ask him what he wants when he cut her off before she even has a chance to say anything, "Buy me a can of grape Ponta."

Sakuno tilted her head in confusion, just like a cute little puppy begging for food. Ryuzaki is really cute. Wait… where did _that _come from?

Ryoma released his grip on her and added, "If you're not here within ten seconds, I am going to injure you with my balls."

Okay, that didn't sound right.

_Blush… Blush…_

Good thing Ryuzaki is innocent, or else she would have punched the wits out of him. Hmm… maybe that's why women in his manga are all violent… because they're not as innocent as Ryuzaki Sakuno.

Sakuno smiled softly at him and ran to the nearest vending machine. Which is fortunately convenient since it's just around the corner. After a few seconds, she arrived holding a can of grape Ponta for him. She handed the soda to him, panting. He violently grabbed the Ponta away from her hand and drank it. He opened his left eye a little to see what her reaction would be. He's lucky if she's not flaming with fury now, considering the fact that he was purposely rude to her.

And boy is he one lucky guy?

She, instead of comically sending Ryoma to the heavens, was smiling disappointedly at him.

He felt guilty. But he needs answer to his questions NOW. And it seems the answer would be impossible to get if you're going to find it with this girl.

"What are you looking disappointed at?" Ryoma said, as cold as he can (despite being guilty and all).

"Ryoma-kun… you should at least show your gratitude to me for buying you—"

"Shut up."

He really is crossing the boundary line now. What part of 'Never infuriate your girl if you don't want to die' rule did he not understand? Of course he understands that rule. He just needs to know what makes the protagonists look weak when they're dealing with the female species, because frankly, he treats guys and gals the same.

Not saying that he's gay, though.

He wants Ryuzaki to get mad at him because that's the only way he'll understand the way protagonists deal with their leading ladies.

He was sure, from the corner of his eye, Ryuzaki twitched. And that's a good sign.

But unfortunately for the prince, his princess can control her anger.

… Unlike Tendou Akane when dealing with Saotome Ranma or Ayuzawa Misaki when Usui Takumi is being too annoying. Also, Nakahara Sunako could scare the wits out of Takano Kyohei whenever he accidentally eats her Haagen Das. Not to mention Todou Akira's rage towards Karino Tadashi. Yeah, that latter has some anger issues. But it only ends up drawing these characters closer. Maybe if Ryuzaki also has some anger issues, then it will bring the two of them closer.

And yes, Jungle Boy also gave him some of his shoujo manga. Hell only knows what made Ryoma read those girly books.

"S-Sorry," alas! The damsel answered. But not the answer he was expecting. He was expecting something along the lines of, 'You BAKA!' and punch him to the other side of the galaxy and comes back in a short period of time standing completely uninjured despite the fact that he was sent flying off beyond the edge of their beloved Milky Way Galaxy.

Impatience overbearing him, he finally asked, "Aren't you going to physically attack me? I've been rude to you since we bumped to each other."

Sakuno looked confusedly at him, which is also not a new thing coming from her. She just giggled after that cute expression (Ryoma: Where do these 'Ryuzaki is cute' things coming from!) and said, "Don't you think it'll be a little out of character if I did that?"

She's got a point.

Wait… (again, again, again).

Usually, the protagonist and his girl (not saying that Ryuzaki _is _his girl) often fight about ridiculous things. And Ryoma was pretty sure he was just starting a fight back then… but Ryuzaki just giggled cutely. (Ryoma: Stop it! She's not cute! She's gorgeously-)

To cut the prince off, Ryuzaki did not respond to the fight he was trying to start. So, does that mean that Ryuzaki Sakuno and Echizen Ryoma were never meant to be from the start?

Okay, this is getting nowhere.

"And besides… Ryoma-kun will seriously injure me with his balls as revenge if I do that," she giggled once again.

Good thing he was wearing his hat today, or else she would notice that blush in his handsome face. If only Ryuzaki knew how wrong it sounded. Firstly, he didn't mean it to sound that way. He should've added the word _tennis _before _balls _so that it wouldn't end up sounding… err… perverted.

Anyway, he needed… no, _wanted _Ryuzaki to be mad at him so that at least they'll look a bit like the couples in the manga that he read.

Okay… he's admits that he wants Ryuzaki and him to look like a cute couple. If that happens, what would they call them? RyoSaku, perhaps?

That's why he wants Ryuzaki to punch the hell out of him so that they'll look cute. After all, that's how they define 'cute couples'.

"You know I'll never do that," he replied.

She just giggled for the umpteenth time that day. "I know. I'm just messing with Ryoma-kun!"

Oh, so now she's the teasing type in this relationship (Ryoma: Ryuzaki and I are not in _a relationship!). _But Echizen Ryoma knows that _he _is the _teaser_ not the _teased. _So, just like any other normal day for them, he'll just shot back his usual teasing. "Hn. Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki. You're hair is still too long to tease me."

As if on cue, Ryuzaki pouted cutely (Ryoma: I give up on the 'cute' thing), "Mou, Ryoma-kun! What does that have to do with anything!"

Ryoma just smirked.

Ryuzaki Sakuno is different from the damsel in distress (the ones with anger issues, though sometimes they _do _need help) he read in his (Kin-chan's) manga. She's the type who patiently waits for him after his matches and congratulates him, and of course those girly girls in the manga also do that to their one true love. She's also the type who worries about him a lot, and just like what mentioned before, the manga characters also do that to the main guy. So maybe, Ryuzaki is just the Hyuuga Hinata-type of a girl. Or the Sasagawa Kyouko-type—which meant that nothing will happen if they were locked inside a room with the guy who they adore or adores them.

Well, at least he knows that Ryuzaki can't control him… which proves another fact that they're not meant to be… (Ryoma: -sigh-)

But… he suddenly remembered something important.

Ryuzaki did get mad at him one time. That time when Horio needs to pretend that he was Ryoma because the prince (Ryoma: Yours truly), was late for the registration. And Horio, being the babbling idiot that he is (Horio: Hey, I heard that!), conceitedly babbled his way to the tennis courts facing a senior from another school. Ryoma would've helped him if he bought him his three weeks supply of juice but he declined and offered buying him some for only _three days! _So, the prince of cockiness turned around, not intending to help the prince of two years of tennis experience until the voice of princess of wobbly hips stopped him. She got mad at HIM! And even blamed HIM for being late! HIM! The prince of TENNIS! No one dared to raise their voice at him (except buchou and Rinko) and here she was, the princess of cuteness scolding him for something that's Horio's fault!

She was kinda cute when she got mad, though.

So in the end, he complied with the princess's demand and fought the senior that was supposed to humiliate the guy with two years of tennis experience.

And that's it. Ryuzaki Sakuno did get mad at him. So that means that they're also the same with the other couples in the mangas that he read.

Maybe that's why the main guy in the story always allowed the girl to beat him to a pulp. The girl is too cute for heaven's sake. And it lets out that _comfortable _and yet _intimate _(and yet _threatening) _feeling the love couples have. And how could he hurt the girl most important to him that he's even willing to risk his life for her (in the manga, anyway)?

And besides… the guy is already on top of the world. Why not let the girl feel like one? Or at least… let her feel like she's stronger than her one true love (even though she's not)?

Another thing, after the protagonist saved the damsel after a cliché kidnapping of some sort, she'll always thank him by giving him warm smiles or cook for him… or anything that a girl can do. Echizen just wished that Sakuno would give him kisses (Ryoma: On the lips; not on the cheek) as a payment for every time he saved her from bullies (Ryoma: Saved her more than twenty times in case you're wondering). But the bento that she gives him is enough… (Ryoma: I guess. Tch.)

And… last but not the least… the power of the damsel always gives the protagonist some kind of relaxed atmosphere. Just having the girl beside him is enough to calm himself before the big fight with the villain. Unless the villain kidnaps the girl.

At last! Ryoma's question 'Why would the main guy, who is already on the verge of conquering the world, allows the damsel to control him?' is finally answered.

"SAKUNO-CHAN!" A red-haired kid suddenly appeared from nowhere and hugged Sakuno as tight as he can.

"K-Kin-chan! What are you doing here?" Sakuno timidly asked as she blushed.

This, unfortunately, is another story.

Why do antagonists always ends up falling in love with the protagonist's girl?

**.OWARI.**

A/N: This fic is the result of Ren Nomiya's too much reading of RyoSaku fanfic for the past three days. Sequel? Reviews?

I own nothing. Especially the characters from different anime that I've mentioned above.


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